1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and, more particularly, to a method for correcting neutral color shift in a production cartridge for use in an imaging system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the use of computers for home and business purposes has increased significantly. Computer systems typically incorporate a computer monitor, a scanner, and a printer. Users frequently employ such systems for scanning, modifying, and/or creating various color documents. The documents may include personal greeting cards, photographs, pamphlets, flyers, brochures, iron-on transfers to clothing, business presentations, business cards, and other personal or business related documents. Such color documents are usually reproduced on a substrate using a personal or business printer, and distributed to various recipients, such as family or friends, or individual/business consumers. It is desirable that the reproduced documents appear consistent, notwithstanding the use of different printing cartridges.
The neutral color shift from one printhead cartridge to another is a common problem in color reproduction, particularly for photo paper printing. Since the human eye is more sensitive to the changes in neutral and near-neutral colors, i.e., colors that are on or near the achromatic neutral axis in colorspace, than changes in other colors, neutral color variations from cartridge to cartridge are readily apparent, and are undesirable to customers and users of imaging equipment. However, neutral color correction is difficult to implement properly. Generally, the known methods for correcting neutral colors are not visually accurate, and are unable to adequately correct for neutral color shift.
What is needed in the art is a method for correcting neutral color shift in a production cartridge for use in an imaging system.